North Yarmouth Copy of the Declaration of Independence

Description

Printed copy of the Declaration of Independence with an order of the Executive Council of Massachusetts Bay to distribute it to all towns through the local minister.

After the Declaration was signed in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, the Executive Council of the State of Massachusetts ordered that a printed copy be sent to each town in Massachusetts, including the District of Maine.

The Declaration was to be read by the local minister, then delivered to the Town Clerk.

Not all Maine towns that received the document can locate their copies today. The North Yarmouth copy was the subject of controversy from 1999-2001 when some felt is was private property. It is now confirmed to be a public document.